Sunshade structure

ABSTRACT

A sunshade structure includes an upright bar, a reel, a connecting member, a transverse bar, a support member, a canopy, and a lift cord. Thus, the lift cord is mounted in and protected by the mounting post of the upright bar and the mounting post of the transverse bar, so that the lift cord is entirely hidden in the upright bar and the transverse bar without being exposed to the ambient environment, so as to enhance the lifetime of the lift cord.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a sunshade structure, and moreparticularly to a sunshade structure having a hidden lift cord so as toenhance the lifetime of the sunshade structure.

2. Description of the Related Art

A conventional sunshade structure in accordance with the prior art shownin FIGS. 6-8 comprises a base 5, a fixing seat 51 mounted on the base 5,an upright bar 6 having a first end mounted on the fixing seat 51, areel 61 mounted on a mediate portion of the upright bar 6, a connectingmember 62 having a first end mounted on a second end of the upright bar6, a first pulley 612 mounted on the connecting member 62, a transversebar 7 having a first end mounted on a second end of the connectingmember 62, a support member 71 mounted on a second end of the transversebar 7, a second pulley 614 mounted on the support member 71, a canopy 8mounted on and supported by the support member 71, and a lift cord 611reeved through the first pulley 612 and the second pulley 614 and havinga first end mounted on the reel 61 and a second end connected to thecanopy 8 to expand or fold the canopy 8 by operation of the reel 61.However, the lift cord 611 is protruded outward from the upright bar 6as shown in FIG. 8, so that the lift cord 611 is exposed to the ambientenvironment, thereby decreasing the lifetime of the lift cord 611.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a sunshadestructure having a hidden lift cord so as to enhance the lifetime of thesunshade structure.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a sunshadestructure, wherein the lift cord is mounted in and protected by themounting post of the upright bar and the mounting post of the transversebar, so that the lift cord is entirely hidden in the upright bar and thetransverse bar without being exposed to the ambient environment, so asto enhance the lifetime of the lift cord.

A further objective of the present invention is to provide a sunshadestructure, wherein the lift cord is guided by the mounting post of theupright bar and the mounting post of the transverse bar, therebyfacilitating movement of the lift cord.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a sunshadestructure, comprising:

-   -   an upright bar;    -   a reel mounted on a mediate portion of the upright bar;    -   a connecting member having a first end mounted on an end of the        upright bar;    -   a transverse bar having a first end mounted on a second end of        the connecting member;    -   a support member mounted on a second end of the transverse bar;    -   a canopy mounted on and supported by the support member; and    -   a lift cord mounted in the upright bar and the transverse bar        and having a first end mounted on the reel and a second end        connected to the canopy.

Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent after a careful reading of the detailed description withappropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sunshade structure in accordance withthe preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side plan view of the sunshade structure as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan cross-sectional view of the sunshade structure takenalong line 3-3 as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a partially cut-away enlarged perspective cross-sectional viewof the sunshade structure as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the sunshade structure asshown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a conventional sunshade structure inaccordance with the prior art;

FIG. 7 is a side plan view of the conventional sunshade structure asshown in FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a plan cross-sectional view of the conventional sunshadestructure taken along line 8-8 as shown in FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings and initially to FIGS. 1-3, a sunshadestructure in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention comprises a base 1, a fixing seat 11 mounted on the base 1, asubstantially rectangular wooden upright bar 2 having a first endmounted on the fixing seat 11, a reel 21 mounted on a mediate portion ofthe upright bar 2, a substantially L-shaped connecting member 22 havinga first end mounted on a second end of the upright bar 2, asubstantially rectangular wooden transverse bar 3 having a first endmounted on a second end of the connecting member 22, a support member 31mounted on a second end of the transverse bar 3, a canopy 4 mounted onand supported by the support member 31, and a lift cord 211 mounted inthe upright bar 2 and the transverse bar 3 and having a first endmounted on the reel 21 and a second end connected to the canopy 4 toexpand or fold the canopy 4 by operation of the reel 21.

Referring to FIGS. 1-5, a substantially rectangular hollow mounting post24 is mounted in the upright bar 2 for mounting the lift cord 211.Preferably, the upright bar 2 has a side formed with a substantiallyrectangular receiving channel 23 for receiving the mounting post 24. Inaddition, the receiving channel 23 of the upright bar 2 has a sideformed with a locking groove 231, and the mounting post 24 has a sideformed with a protruding locking strip 241 locked in the locking groove231 of the upright bar 2. Preferably, the locking strip 241 of themounting post 24 has a periphery formed with a plurality of wedge-shapedlocking teeth 242 engaged with a peripheral wall of the locking groove231 of the upright bar 2, so that the locking strip 241 of the mountingpost 24 is positioned in the locking groove 231 of the upright bar 2rigidly and stably.

Similarly, a substantially rectangular hollow mounting post 34 ismounted in the transverse bar 3 for mounting the lift cord 211.Preferably, the transverse bar 3 has a side formed with a substantiallyrectangular receiving channel 33 for receiving the mounting post 34. Inaddition, the receiving channel 33 of the transverse bar 3 has a sideformed with a locking groove 331, and the mounting post 34 has a sideformed with a protruding locking strip 341 locked in the locking groove331 of the transverse bar 3. Preferably, the locking strip 341 of themounting post 34 has a periphery formed with a plurality of wedge-shapedlocking teeth 342 engaged with a peripheral wall of the locking groove331 of the transverse bar 3, so that the locking strip 341 of themounting post 34 is positioned in the locking groove 331 of thetransverse bar 3 rigidly and stably.

Accordingly, the lift cord 211 is mounted in and protected by themounting post 24 of the upright bar 2 and the mounting post 34 of thetransverse bar 3, so that the lift cord 211 is entirely hidden in theupright bar 2 and the transverse bar 3 without being exposed to theambient environment, so as to enhance the lifetime of the lift cord 211.In addition, the lift cord 211 is guided by the mounting post 24 of theupright bar 2 and the mounting post 34 of the transverse bar 3, therebyfacilitating movement of the lift cord 211.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferredembodiment(s) as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many otherpossible modifications and variations can be made without departing fromthe scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, contemplated thatthe appended claim or claims will cover such modifications andvariations that fall within the true scope of the invention.

1. A sunshade structure, comprising: an upright bar; a reel mounted on a mediate portion of the upright bar; a connecting member having a first end mounted on an end of the upright bar; a transverse bar having a first end mounted on a second end of the connecting member; a support member mounted on a second end of the transverse bar; a canopy mounted on and supported by the support member; and a lift cord mounted in the upright bar and the transverse bar and having a first end mounted on the reel and a second end connected to the canopy.
 2. The sunshade structure in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a hollow mounting post mounted in the upright bar for mounting the lift cord.
 3. The sunshade structure in accordance with claim 2, wherein the mounting post of the upright bar is substantially rectangular.
 4. The sunshade structure in accordance with claim 2, wherein the upright bar has a side formed with a receiving channel for receiving the mounting post.
 5. The sunshade structure in accordance with claim 4, wherein the receiving channel of the upright bar is substantially rectangular.
 6. The sunshade structure in accordance with claim 4, wherein the receiving channel of the upright bar has a side formed with a locking groove, and the mounting post has a side formed with a protruding locking strip locked in the locking groove of the upright bar.
 7. The sunshade structure in accordance with claim 6, wherein the locking strip of the mounting post has a periphery formed with a plurality of locking teeth engaged with a peripheral wall of the locking groove of the upright bar.
 8. The sunshade structure in accordance with claim 7, wherein the locking teeth of the mounting post of the upright bar are wedge-shaped.
 9. The sunshade structure in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a hollow mounting post mounted in the transverse bar for mounting the lift cord.
 10. The sunshade structure in accordance with claim 9, wherein the mounting post of the transverse bar is substantially rectangular.
 11. The sunshade structure in accordance with claim 9, wherein the transverse bar has a side formed with a receiving channel for receiving the mounting post.
 12. The sunshade structure in accordance with claim 11, wherein the receiving channel of the transverse bar is substantially rectangular.
 13. The sunshade structure in accordance with claim 11, wherein the receiving channel of the transverse bar has a side formed with a locking groove, and the mounting post has a side formed with a protruding locking strip locked in the locking groove of the transverse bar.
 14. The sunshade structure in accordance with claim 13, wherein the locking strip of the mounting post has a periphery formed with a plurality of locking teeth engaged with a peripheral wall of the locking groove of the transverse bar.
 15. The sunshade structure in accordance with claim 14, wherein the locking teeth of the mounting post of the transverse bar are wedge-shaped.
 16. The sunshade structure in accordance with claim 1, wherein the lift cord is entirely hidden in the upright bar and the transverse bar.
 17. The sunshade structure in accordance with claim 2, wherein the lift cord is guided by the mounting post of the upright bar, thereby facilitating movement of the lift cord.
 18. The sunshade structure in accordance with claim 9, wherein the lift cord is guided by the mounting post of the transverse bar, thereby facilitating movement of the lift cord. 